By ELEANOR BLACK
As local body elections loom, some high-profile mayors have revealed that they will stand down in October.
Here are a few of the departing faces:
* Waikato District's Angus Macdonald, who has been active in local body politics since 1969 and mayor since 1989, is leaving the district council
with hopes of joining the regional council, Environment Waikato.
Mr Macdonald is also seeking election to the Waikato District Health Board.
* Tauranga's Noel Pope, who has served two terms as Mayor of Tauranga District and was the city mayor before amalgamation with Mt Maunganui, is running for a spot on the regional council, Environment BOP.
* Kawerau Mayor Lyn Hartley is stepping down after 15 years in the hot seat and six years before that as deputy mayor.
She says it will be hard to say goodbye after 21 years in office, but she will maintain her interest in community activities.
* Don Reisterer, Opotiki's longest-serving mayor after 12 years, feels he has "got on top" of the three big issues he highlighted before his first election in 1989: water supply, sewerage and unemployment.
* Taupo stalwart Joan Williamson is retiring after 15 years, two as borough mayor and the rest as district mayor.
* Gisborne's John Clarke is leaving after 12 years as mayor and a total of 20 in local government, during which the city capitalised on its status as the first in the world to see the sun each day and took a starring role in millennium celebrations.
He will chair Port Gisborne.
* Hastings Mayor Jeremy Dwyer, who has been appointed to the Earthquake Commission. He has served five terms.
* Napier's Alan Dick has chosen to relinquish the mayoral chains but hopes for a council seat.
* New Plymouth's first woman mayor, Claire Stewart, will bid farewell after nine years in office and a further three as a councillor.
The former teacher was a surprise winner in 1992, with a majority of 800 votes, and was soon breaking into Taranaki's political old boys network, the "Steinlager Club".
* Colourful Wellington Mayor Mark Blumsky, known for raising the capital's tourism profile, is stepping down after two terms.
